Ch.135Expansion (7)

“What…? Assassination? Me?”

Out of nowhere, a report came in that the Duke of Provence had died, but the problem is that the Provence side is claiming I assassinated the duke.

What nonsense?? I mean, I did think it would be nice if the Duke of Provence died, but I really didn’t commit such an act.

No matter what, one has to be mindful of appearances.

Even if he’s an enemy, assassination is clearly something condemned by society, and with my already poor reputation, doing such a thing would give me a headache.

So I had decided not to even consider assassination as an option unless the situation became seriously dire, but now they’re saying I killed him? What is this about?

“…Yes, Your Majesty. The newly enthroned Duke of Provence is enraged, claiming that the death of the previous duke was due to Your Majesty’s Lotharing’s scheme, and has declared resistance to the bitter end.”

The expression of the attendant giving the report is extremely ambiguous. It’s as if he’s saying he knows I did it, and I should stop pretending.

No, I really didn’t do it.

“Are… many people believing this false rumor?”

“…Yes, Your Majesty. However, even though they believe the same thing, the reactions of the nobles in the Kingdom of Caroling and those in the Kingdom of Lotharing are completely different.”

“What do you mean?”

“The nobles of Caroling are expressing various emotions upon hearing of the assassination and showing rebellious attitudes toward Your Majesty, but it hasn’t led to direct resistance. However, the nobles of Lotharing show resignation rather than rebellion—”

“Enough, I understand.”

Look at how this fellow speaks.

Referring to the assassination as a “matter” rather than a rumor is one thing, but resignation?

In other words, the reputation I have among the nobles of Lotharing is so low that it can’t possibly get any lower, is that it?

“For now, we need to strongly deny these false rumors. Send letters of condolence and spread writings representing my position throughout Lotharing.”

“That… however, Your Majesty.”

“What now?”

“The duke reportedly died from an explosion. A carriage included in the Lotharing delegation exploded with flames, and those nearby, including the Duke of Provence, perished on the spot. The Lotharing envoys as well.”

“…Huh?”

Explosion?

That would require gunpowder… um…

“Ahem, are you certain?”

“There are too many witnesses from the other side, and even some commoners have testimonies… Ah, of course! Since it’s just their claim, nothing has been clearly established.”

The attendant reciting the report hastily corrects himself after gauging my reaction.

…You might as well have finished what you were saying; changing it midway makes it even more awkward.

Hmm… Anyway, it seems the explosion of a Lotharing carriage isn’t complete nonsense.

“…I understand. For now, seal off all gunpowder research labs and manufacturing facilities.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Since the information seems quite credible, there’s only one thing I need to do.

There’s a high possibility that gunpowder has leaked outside, so I need to seal off all research labs and manufacturing facilities. Gunpowder, one of the most important items in Lotharing right now, leaking outside without my knowledge is an issue I absolutely cannot overlook.

Fortunately, I had previously ordered that the quantity of gunpowder be recorded each time it’s produced. I’ll summon all relevant personnel and order them to find where the records and actual quantities don’t match—

“That won’t be necessary.”

At that moment, Ines appears, opening the door to my office.

She used to come to the office frequently, but since becoming pregnant, she hasn’t visited once.

“Ines…?”

“I… have something to confess.”

Ines, who has been accustomed to commanding others since childhood, very naturally sends the attendants in the office out with just a look, then slowly walks toward me, stopping abruptly with just a desk between us.

Normally, I would have said something to break the tension before she got this far, but her expression was so peculiar that I couldn’t.

Ines’s face wears a bright smile, but for some reason, that smile gives me chills.

……….

“Ines… did it?”

“Yes.”

Ines’s shocking confession was that she had assassinated the Duke of Provence.

Using the network she had established throughout Caroling before participating in the Caroling civil war, Ines roughly knew the duke’s location and had placed agents where he was certain to come.

“Why did you…!”

“Well, that duke insulted Your Majesty. Here.”

“This is…”

The paper Ines handed me listed the insulting remarks the Duke of Provence had made about me over several years.

From small comments made in private settings like banquets to larger statements made in front of soldiers before battle—everything.

Saying there was no need to fear me, calling me a bastard with dirty blood, and so on—it was all recorded in detail, down to his very speech habits.

“It was already hard to bear his insults to Your Majesty, but when he launched a preemptive attack on Lotharing, which belongs to Your Majesty, I simply couldn’t endure it. I… I’m sorry.”

“…”

When someone is apologizing and showing remorse from the start, it’s very difficult to scold them harshly. They say you can’t spit on a smiling face, and that’s exactly right.

Moreover, she’s saying she did it to protect my honor. Sigh.

“Ines.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“I order you to self-reflect for the next two years. Also, transfer all agents under your control directly to me.”

“Of course, I will do so.”

But I can’t let this slide completely.

She acted without reporting to me, and even used gunpowder, an important resource, as she pleased.

Sigh… I thought Ines was just a bit rough in character but still had girlish sensibilities when it came to dark matters like killing people, but I guess I was mistaken. It’s quite shocking that she gave the order to kill someone in the first place.

It’s ironic for me to say this after signing numerous execution orders, but I had hoped Ines would live purely… and not just a simple poisoning, but a loud explosion with gunpowder— Wait, gunpowder?

“Ines, why did you use gunpowder? If you were going to assassinate him, there was no need to be so loud about it.”

“Well… other people needed to know for certain, didn’t they?”

“…Huh?”

“If the world doesn’t know that Your Majesty killed the Duke of Provence, there would be no meaning in my killing him. All nobles need to fear Your Majesty so that insulting remarks about you won’t arise.”

So what Ines is trying to say is… she threatened other nobles to behave unless they wanted to end up like the Duke of Provence? And she used gunpowder for its visually and audibly powerful impact as a means of intimidation.

It’s certainly an effective threat, but would it really work?

For example, in my previous life, even when 21st century Russia openly killed various journalists and politicians with radioactive tea and spread rumors everywhere that they were behind the assassinations, criticism of Russia didn’t diminish at all.

“Ines, do you think that will be effective?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. In fact, haven’t the nobles of Lotharing already done so?”

“What?”

“Aren’t the nobles of Lotharing bowing their heads to the prestige and notoriety Your Majesty has created? Wasn’t that your intention?”

Intention? Mine?

I don’t know about prestige, but I never intended to have a bad reputation. Due to layers of misunderstandings, all kinds of strange rumors have spread, giving me a terrible image that’s been giving me headaches.

Is it even possible for people to bow their heads in fear of my notoriety?

Come to think of it, earlier it was mentioned that rumors of me killing the Duke of Provence had spread both domestically and internationally, but the nobles of Lotharing showed no particular reaction.

At the time, I thought it was because they had completely lost any expectations of me, but if what Ines says is true…

“…I should hold frequent banquets once this is all over.”

“…?”

I can’t let my image solidify like this.

According to the current rumors, I’m a depraved person who ravishes women just because they’re pretty, openly commits sins by intimidating the pope, and simply kills anyone I don’t like.

Of course, such false rumors won’t be recorded in history books as they are, but they will certainly influence how I’m perceived. And that distorted perception will cause all my actions to be judged in that light.

I may have become a duke and then a king by chance, but I don’t want to be seen as a mad monarch.

“For now, I’ll take responsibility for what you did, so don’t tell anyone else.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Anyway, no matter how much Ines claims she did it, others won’t believe it, so it’s better if I just say I did it from the beginning. After all, we’re husband and wife, and it doesn’t make sense to separate political actions.

Afterward, I worked extremely hard for several days, doing my best to quell the public opinion of the Caroling nobles, controlling false rumors I truly didn’t start, and dealing with the aftermath of the assassination while also handling matters of war. It felt like I was paying back all at once for the rest I’d taken.

But all that difficult cleanup work was in vain before long.

A few days later, a report came to me that the Duke of Anjou and the Duke of Neustria had died, and just like with Provence, I was identified as the one behind their deaths.

Wondering if Ines had done this too, I asked her directly, but her answer only conveyed the sentiment that [I did nothing].